May We Make Them Proud: Some Other Time
by theplaywrite
Summary: The fire at the blind school caused great pain for the entire town of Walnut Grove, but not for the reasons we know of. [My personal rewrite of 'May We Make Them Proud'.]


May We Make Them Proud: Some Other Time

"Hester-Sue, where is Alice with the baby?"

Adam Kendall could feel the sweltering heat on his face. He could hear the crackling wood begin to collapse. He could smell the burning building as it turned into dark ash. The blind school was being devoured in a magnificent blaze of fire and flames.

"Where is our baby, Hester-Sue?" Mary Ingalls Kendall screamed to the only sighted person able to see what was really happening.

Mary and her husband had gotten all of their students out of the school before the flames reached the upper floor. However, when she had turned back into the building to retrieve her own baby boy, Alice Garvey stopped her and told the younger mother she would get her son. Mary ran out of the blind school, believing Alice was right behind her with her son in hand.

Hester-Sue Terhune watched the front door of the building from a distance, praying that Alice would walk through the frames with Adam Kendall Jr. in her grasp. However, after starring at the entrance for what felt like an eternity, Hester-Sue dashed for the door to retrieve the trapped pair from the burning house. "Alice. Alice! Alice!"

Hester-Sue ran up the stairs with extreme caution, calling out Alice's name over and over again. The staircase was quickly becoming engulfed in the fire. Time was running out and Hester-Sue still did not know where Alice could have possibly gone with the Kendall's baby. The increasing heat and crumbling floors made the situation too dangerous for the worried woman to stay in any longer. She was about to turn back and get out of the building to save her own life, when she heard a cry coming from upstairs.

"Help! Help me!"

"Alice!"

Alice appeared from the other side of the hallway, with James, a blind school student and the Kendall's baby crying in arms. She pushed James in Hester-Sue's direction, past the growing flames. Hester-Sue grabbed James, but tried to wait to make sure Alice and the baby would make it out of the building with them. Unfortunately, before Alice could make it downstairs, the deteriorating stairs fell apart under her feet.

"Alice! Come on!" Hester-Sue pleaded, not realizing Alice and Adam Jr. were cornered upstairs.

Alice managed to get off of the staircase and back into the hallway. She found herself becoming surrounded in fire with no way of escape. She looked down at the wailing baby in her arms, but instead of seeing Mary and Adam's son, she saw her own.

Alice ran into one of the bedrooms, not yet taken over by the fire. She immediately saw the windows and realized there was only one way out of the building. Alice placed the baby down on a bed and went straight for the glass. She picked up a bedside table and shoved it out the window to break the panes of glass. The ground below was steep jump, but it was better then being burned alive.

Outside, everyone waiting for Alice and the baby were sobbing uncontrollably, especially Mary. Hester-Sue tried to calm the frightened children and terrified parents. She was about to run back inside, when she noticed the bedside table fall out of the window. "Alice! Alice!" Hester-Sue ran over to the ground beneath the broken window.

"Hester-Sue! Catch the baby!" Alice leaned out the window frame, never more desperate to get her and the baby out of the building.

"What?!"

"Catch the baby!"

Hester-Sue opened her arms, ready for Adam Jr. to fall into her grasp. Just as Alice picked up the baby, the bedroom the pair was in bursted into flames. Time was up. It was either take a leap of faith or die in a blaze of glory. Alice sat on the ledge and swung her feet outside. The fire pressed against her back and the ceiling collapsed behind her. Alice tried to prepare herself for the jump, but a large wooden beam from the ceiling fell on her shoulders. She could not hold on.

Hester-Sue screamed as Alice slid down the side of the building and hit the ground hard. "Alice!" She ran over and tired to help Alice away from the burning blind school. "Come on!" She managed to drag the two away from the house to safety.

"Hester-Sue! What happened? What's going on?" Adam yelled, hearing the commotion, but not truly knowing what had happened.

Hester-Sue took Adam Jr. out of Alice's arms and ran him over to Mary. "Mary, it's alright. Here's your baby."

Mary immediately held out her arms. She could hear her son's cries and desperately needed to hold him, wanting to make sure he was okay. Mary felt Adam Jr. finally being placed in her arms. A wave of relief and happiness came over her. "It's okay. It's okay. Mama's got you." She cradled her still crying child. Adam moved his hands to feel his son in his wife's arms, then wrapped his own around Mary and the baby.

Hester-Sue ran back over to Alice, who was slumped on the ground. "Alice, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Alice began coughing intensely and gestured to her left arm in pain. Hester-Sue tried to comfort Alice, but quickly realized that she needed a doctor. She rested Alice down on the ground and decided to run into town to get Doctor Baker. "Adam, I'm going to get Doc Baker." Hester-Sue ran down the path leading into town. She could not remember a time she ran that fast before. As Hester-Sue came up on the first crossroad, she saw a wagon coming her way. After taking one look at the driver, she ran towards him. "Jonathan! Jonathan!"

Jonathan Garvey stopped his rig. He was just on his way over to the school to pick up his wife. By the look on Hester-Sue's face, something awful had happened. "Hester-Sue, what's wrong?"

She ran up besides him, out of breath. "The blind school caught fire. Everybody got out, but we need to get Doc Baker."

Jonathan did not waste any time helping Hester-Sue onto his rig and immediately headed for town.

* * *

The next morning, Adam and Mary found themselves staying at the Ingalls' little house. The rest of their students had been moved to the rooms over Doctor Baker's office, along with Hester-Sue. After the horrific night, Mary was asleep in her parent's bed, while her mother and Adam tender her baby. Charles went out to the site of the destroyed blind school and the other Ingalls children were sent to school.

"Adam, would you like something to drink? Some water or coffee?" Caroline Ingalls asked her son-in-law.

Adam was holding his son, carefully listening to him. Adam Jr. stopped crying after he fell asleep late last night. However, after he woke up the following morning, he could not stop coughing and refused to eat anything. "No, Caroline. Not right now."

"Alright." Caroline sat next to Adam, not taking her eyes off her grandson. "Maybe we can get this little guy to eat something later."

"Adam." Mary called from the other room.

Caroline went to her daughter's side. "It's me, Mary. Adam and the baby are both in the other room. Let me help you get dressed, so you can go be with them." She told her, retrieving Mary's clothes from the previous night.

"Is that Adam Jr. still coughing?" The concerned mother asked.

Caroline looked back at Adam and the baby. "Yes. He hasn't stopped all morning and he won't eat anything."

"Doc Backer still hasn't come by yet?"

"No. He's still at the Garvey's."

Mary got out of bed and let her mother help her get dressed. After getting ready, Mary and Caroline went into the front room of the small house. "Adam. How's our son doing?" Mary sat in the chair next to her husband.

Adam gave his son to Mary. He hoped that once their baby saw his mother's face, he would start feeling better. "He's still the same."

"You sound tired." Mary told Adam, noticing his slow voice. "You should go get some rest."

"I'll be fine. Doc Baker should be here soon."

"I hope Mrs. Garvey is alright." Mary began rocking her son, recalling the previous night. "Hester-Sue didn't really tell you what happened? How Alice managed to get out with our son, did she?"

"No." Adam replied.

Caroline, standing in the kitchen and overhearing Adam and Mary's conversation, sighed. She knew what had happened last night, how Alice almost died trying to save her grandson from the fire. Every minute that past with Doctor Baker still not arriving, made Caroline worry even more for her best friend.

* * *

At the Garvey's home, Doctor Baker was still tending to Alice's wounds. He had not yet told Jonathan the extent of his wife's injuries. Alice herself had fallen asleep after Doctor Baker gave her some medicine for the all pain she was suffering from. After a too long of time, Doctor Baker left the bedroom Alice was in and went to the dinning room table, where Jonathan and Andrew Garvey were patiently waiting.

"How is she, Doc?" Jonathan stood up.

"She's asleep now." Doctor Baker sat down at the table with the other two men. "Alice broke her right leg when she fell from the building and she has serious burns on her shoulders. She also inhaled a lot of smoke from being inside that building for too long."

A wave of sadness and helplessness fell over Jonathan. The large man walked away to the window, praying that what he was hearing from the doctor was all just a bad dream. "She'll be okay, though. Right?" There was a slight shake in his voice.

"The burns should heal over the next month with some scarring, but her leg will take around two months to fully heal." Doctor Baker explained. "I'll have to do another examination once she has enough strength. I want to make sure nothing else was damaged in the fall."

"What can we do for her?" Jonathan walked back to the table.

Doctor Baker nodded his head. "Let her rest. Keep a close eye on the burns to make sure they don't get infected. I'll leave some more medicine here if Alice wakes up with any sever pain."

"Thanks Doc." Jonathan showed Doctor Baker out. After watching the doctor drive away in his buggy, Jonathan closed the front door and looked over to his son. Andrew had sat there motionless and almost expressionless the whole time they had talked to the doctor about his mother's injuries. "Are you okay, Andy?"

Andrew snapped out of his trance. "Uh...yea, pa. I'm fine." He stuttered.

Jonathan walked back and sat down next to his son. He put his arm around Andrew, wanting to assure him of something that he had a hard time believing himself. "Your mother is going to be fine, Andrew. She's going to get better and this whole thing will be over soon. You'll see."

"I just want to know how it happened?"

"Don't worry." His father replied. "Mr. Ingalls and some other men are out at the blind school, trying to figure out how that fire started."

"That's not what I mean." Andrew quickly left the table and walked into the adjacent kitchen. "I mean, how was ma the only one stuck with getting Adam and Mary's baby out of the fire in the first place?"

"What?"

"What kind of mother forgets to grab her own baby in a fire?"

"Andrew!" Jonathan got up and grabbed his son's arms. "Don't tell me you're blaming Mary and Adam for this."

Andrew did not response and did not look into his father's eyes.

* * *

In the Ingalls' home, Doctor Baker was currently examining Adam Jr. All the other Ingalls children had returned from school and Charles was due back at any time. Everyone in the tiny house crowded around the table and waited for word on the baby's condition. Mary and Adam were of course the most worried. After only a short time, Doctor Baker carried the baby back to his mother.

"Well Mary and Adam, your son is doing just fine." He said with a slight grin on his face. "No burns. No broken bones."

"What about his coughing?" Mary asked concerningly.

Doctor Baker gave the baby to Mary. "That's just because his lungs aren't developed enough to handle the inhalation of smoke. But, I'm sure with some fresh and rest he'll be fine in a couple of day."

"Thank God." Adam said aloud. All the Ingalls children became excited and cheered after hearing the good news.

"Doc Baker." Caroline walked over to the man. "How is Alice?" And just like that, everyone's expressions changed back.

"She broke her leg and has some burns on her shoulders. It might be a couple of weeks before she's feeling any better." He answered in a low tone.

"Ma." Mary called, still rocking her son. "Can we go over to the Garvey's when Alice is doing better? I didn't get a chance to thank her for saving our son."

"Of course." Caroline nodded. "Doc, will you let us know how Alice is comingo along?"

"I'll let you know."

Then, the front door opened and Charles walked inside his home. "Hi everyone. How's my grandson doing?"

"Doctor Baker says he's going to be alright, pa." Mary was the first to answer.

"Thank God."

"Charles, did you find anything at the school? Anything that could have started the fire?" Adam asked his father-in-law.

"Yea. Yea, we did. There was a pipe found in the basement, laying next to all the extra bedding." Charles continued to explain. "Someone must have carelessly left it there while it was still lit."

"A pipe?" Laura asked from the other side of the table. "What would someone be doing with a pipe in the basement?"

"I don't know, Laura." Charles tried to answer his daughter's valid questions. "I don't think we'll ever know."

* * *

A few days went by and the small town of Walnut Grove had begun to piece itself back together. The blind children were either sent back home to their families or moved to an orphanage that was willing to house them until they found somewhere else to stay. Adam and Mary moved into one of the rooms above Nellie's restaurant, along with their son and Hester-Sue.

"Adam, my ma said she would be coming by in a few minutes." Mary told her husband, while carefully brushing her hair.

"Alright. Are you sure you don't want to take the baby?" Adam asked and needlessly motioned over to his sleeping son.

Mary shook her head. "No. I'm not sure how well Alice is feeling yet."

Caroline and Mary planned on visiting the Garvey's home to see how Alice was doing. Mary had been waiting for the day she could finally thank Alice for saving her son's life. Then, there was a knock on the hotel room door. "Mary, it's me. Are you ready to go?" Caroline opened the door and walked inside.

"Yes, ma." She answered. "We won't be long, Adam."

The mother and daughter walked through the town center and down the path to the Garvey's house. Of course Caroline lead the way by holding onto her daughter's arm the whole time. It was not a long walk and in no time, the two women were greeted by Jonathan, who was working outside his home.

"Caroline. Mary. How are you two doing?" The tall man asked with a smile. He was happy to see friends again, especially during this uncertain time.

"We're just fine, Mr. Garvey." Mary answered. "We wanted to stop by and visit Alice."

"Of course. Come inside."

The three adults walked inside the house. Jonathan informed Caroline and Mary of Alice's condition. Even though Alice would have to stay bedridden for the next few of weeks, she already started feeling much better.

"Alice." Jonathan opened the door to the couple's bedroom, seeing Alice sitting up in bed. "You have some visitors."

Alice glanced up and smiled after seeing her friends walk in. "Mary. Caroline. It's so good to see you."

"How are you feeling, Mrs. Garvey?" Mary was quick to ask.

"I feel much better, now." Alice admitted, not really believing it herself. "I don't like the idea of staying in bed for the next few weeks, but other than that, I'm feeling just fine."

"You look well, Alice." Caroline commented, surprised at how good Alice looked after her fall.

"Alice." Mary felt her way to the bedside. "I don't know how to thank you for what you did. You saved my son's life from that fire. Adam and I are both in debt to you."

"Mary." Alice pulled Mary into a light hug. "How is your baby doing?"

"Doc Baker says he'll be fine. I'm so sorry you got seriously hurt saving him. It should have been me to go back and get him." Mary felt tears forming in her eyes. She was that baby's mother after all. It was her job to protect him, blind or not.

"It's alright. Everyone made it out alive, that's all that matters." Alice tried to comfort Mary.

"Ma! Ma!" A scream from outside grabbed everyone's attention. "Ma!" Suddenly, Laura bursted through the front door of the house.

"Laura, what on earth is it?" Caroline ran to her daughter. "What's wrong?"

"I went to the hotel after school to see Mary and Adam, but when I got there, Adam was panicking. He told me to go get Doc Baker. He told me there was something wrong with their baby." Laura rushed to say, still out of breath from her sprint to the Garvey's house.

"Is Doc Baker with him?" Caroline asked.

"Yes. I told him Adam needed him, then I ran over here to get Mary." Laura explained.

"Ma." Mary walked up to her mother, now becoming increasingly scared after hearing Laura's story. "We have to get back to town."

"I'll give you a rid back." Jonathan said, walking to get his wagon set up.

* * *

As Jonathan drove his rig up to the hotel, with Mary, Caroline and Laura in the back, everyone noticed Adam standing outside on the porch with a grim expression on his face.

"Adam." Mary called out, once she was told her husband was waiting for her.

"I'm right here, Mary. I'm right here."

Caroline helped Mary out of the wagon and brought her over to Adam. "Adam, what's happening with our baby? What's wrong? Where is he?" Mary did not actually want to hear any answers to her questions, she just wanted to hold her son.

"Mary, he's dead." Adam said bluntly, with a heavy heart.

"What?"

"Mary, our baby is dead. He stopped breathing while he was sleeping. Our baby is gone."

Mary did not move. She just stood in front of her husband, emotionless. The young mother did not want to accept the fact that her baby had died. Not her baby. Not their son. "No. No. No. No!" Mary fell into Adam's arms and started crying uncontrollably.

Everyone else started tearing up, having to watch Mary break down at the loss of her only child.

"No! No! No."

* * *

The funeral for Adam Charles Holbrook Kendall Jr. was held the day after the following day. Practically the whole town came out to the destroyed blind school. People gathered around a grave marker, placed on the hill next to the site of the school. Reverend Alden stood at the head of the grave, reciting a prayer for the lost infant. Adam and Mary stood off to the side, holding onto each other. Their worlds had never been so dark before.

After the prayers had been read and everyone said their final goodbyes to Adam Jr., Adam turned to his father-in-law. "Charles, I think I should take Mary back to the hotel." He said, noticing Mary's vacant responses.

"Sure thing, Adam." He nodded. "I have to stay here for a little bit longer, but I can get Laura and Albert to take you two back into town. Laura." Charles called for his second daughter.

"Yea, pa?" Laura walked over without hesitation.

"Where's Albert?" The father asked.

Laura glanced behind her shoulder. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since we left the house."

"Albert's missing?" Charles began looking around the dispersing crowd of people for his son, but could not find him. "Caroline." He called over to his wife. "Have you seen Albert?"

"No." She responded, still talking to the Oleson's and holding Grace. "I thought he was with you."

"I saw him, pa." Carrie ran up to her father after over hearing the conversation. "He went over that way." Carrie pointed down a stretch of road, not at all in the direction of their home.

Charles looked down the dirt road in confusion. Albert had been quite distant the past few days. Charles did not know what could have caused his son to become so anxious and leave the funeral. "Jonathan." He called over to his friend.

Jonathan and Andrew both walked up to Charles, just as they were about to leave for their own home. "What is it, Charles?" Jonathan asked, worrying, by the tone of Charles voice, something else might have went wrong.

"Albert's gone. I'm not sure where he went, but Carrie says he went down the road leading to your place." Charles explained. "Could you give me a ride over there?"

"Sure thing."

Jonathan, Charles and Andrew got on the rig and immediately headed down the path to the Garvey's house. It did not take long before they arrived at the home and still had not seen any trace of Albert. The three men jumped off the wagon.

"Andy, you go see how your ma is doing?" Jonathan told his son. "We'll split up and look for Albert."

"Alright, pa." Andrew nodded. The boy ran back into his house and went straight for his parent's room. "Ma, is everything alright...Albert?"

Albert, who was sitting on the bed next to Alice, turned around to see his best friend standing in the door way. "Oh. Andy."

Andrew noticed a shakiness in Albert's voice and saw that his eyes were glossed over. One look at his mother's face, and Andrew knew something was wrong. "Pa. Mr. Ingalls. Albert is in here." He shouted out to the two older men.

Charles heard Andrew's call and immediately ran inside the house, relieved to see Albert was okay and not actually missing. "Albert. What were you doing? Why did you run off during the funeral to come here?"

Albert stood up and slowly walked in front of his pa. His eyes were filling with tears and he began to sob. He had no idea how his pa would react to what he was about to confess to him. "Pa, I did it. It was me."

"Albert, what are you talking about?"

"I'm to blame for the fire at the blind school. It's all my fault. But, it was an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen. I stole that pipe from Mr. Foster and accidentally left it in the basement. I was worried someone was going to find out that it was my fault, but then Mary's baby died..."

Charles grabbed his son and pulled him in. Albert sobbed into his father's grasp, not expecting an embrace of any kind.

"I was an accident, pa, I swear!"

Charles rubbed Albert's shoulder's, trying to get him to calm down. "It's going to be okay, Albert. I'm not angry at you." Charles said, not having any reservations. It still shocked him though that Albert was the indirect cause of the fire.

"You're not?" Albert questioned his father, not believing that Charles was not the least bit mad at him.

"Of course, I'm not. It was all a freak accident. Don't blame yourself for what happened, Albert."

"Oh, Pa."

* * *

Three months later, the Adam Kendall Jr. School for the Blind was opened, built right on top of were the original blind school stood. It was a joyous time for the townspeople of Walnut Grove, as the new blind school was being filled with children from all across the country; meaning the town would soon thrive with business. However, there were two more very personal reasons for certain families to be excited: Alice Garvey had almost completely healed from her injuries and Mary was expecting another baby.


End file.
